French Revolutions - Tim Moore

Like many men (okay boys) I have always had dreams. The dream involving Britney, Kylie and lots of whipped cream does not yet have a suitable category on Dooyoo despite my repeated requests so I will give it a miss. The other dream however, is of sporting greatness. Whilst I've (almost) given up on Sven Goran Ericsson calling me up for England's problematic left midfield spot, I still dream of completing my hat trick for Liverpool at Wembley, becoming the first British man since Fred Perry to triumph on centre court and triumphantly hitting the winning six to reclaim The Ashes at Lords. Now obviously the chance that one of these dreams will come true is ...  Read the complete review

Tim Moore is one of travel writing's best-kept secrets. His first book, "Frost On My Moustache" (see my op) remains the funniest book I have ever read, a combination of painstaking research and eloquent, self-deprecating humour, and the follow-up, "Continental Drifter", tickled my funny bone in much the same way. So, as a regular cyclist and a Tour de France obsessive, I was ecstatic when I was informed that not only had the lazy, bungling Moore tried to cycle the route of the 2000 Tour, but he'd also written a book about his attempt. Marvellous. Before reading the book, you need to know a few things about Moore. This is not ...  Read the complete review

In this hilarious book, French Revolutions, Tim Moore describes a 3000km cycle journey around the route of the Tour de France, about a month before the start of the 2000 tour. I am not sure if the purpose of the book is humour, description, or history of the Tour de France. However, it achieves all three, providing a hilarious account of the trials of an amateur cyclist’s attempts at such an ambitious project, while also giving a clear picture of rural France, and many anecdotes from the bizarre history of the race. Tim doesn’t really explain how he came to choose his publishing project. I assume a publishers advance comes into the equation ...  Read the complete review

Looking at the best-selling travel books in recent years you’d be forgiven for thinking that you need to do something a bit different to get yourself published these days. You know the type of thing, travel round Ireland with a fridge in tow, tour Italy on a Vespa or pack up your family and move to pastures new, preferably to a rural setting with neighbours who can’t bear the sight of you and a property with dire plumbing. Go for a short walk in the Hindu Kush? I don’t think so! Only if you do it blindfolded and wearing flippers! Apparently it is not enough to visit an interesting place and write eloquently on that place, its history and its culture. That ...  Read the complete review